Review: Solving for Nic by Lexxi Callahan

Reviewed by Janell

I like books about geeks and nerds. This book features Lizzie, a math genius at Princeton, and Nic, her brother’s friend who is also a totally rich real estate developer and heir to an Italian vineyard. Although Lizzie spent most of the book hiding her nerdy side and portraying a more ditzy version of herself, I still liked her.

Lizzie is about a decade younger than Nic. They met at a swanky social gathering years ago and danced together. At the time, Lizzie’s dad gave Nic that timeless, fatherly advice of “Don’t even think about it.” Nic mostly didn’t think about it. Lizzie, however, fell instantly in love and decided that she would have Nic or no one. Being a teenager, her plan to have Nic was really like this: “Step One: Daydream about Nic. Step Two: Marry Nic.” She wasn’t a girl of action, is what I’m saying.

The story opens at the wedding of Lizzie’s brother. She’s encountered Nic a few times over the years, always at parties and family functions. Lizzie has given up explaining her mathematics career to people because their eyes glaze over, so she is always a more cutesy, simplified version of herself at these gatherings. Nic has always asked her to dance, keeping her crush alive, but they haven’t done much beyond that.

Now, at the reception, Nic watches Lizzie flit from group to group, making everyone feel at ease. She’s the “polar opposite of the women he usually dated,” and he kind of suddenly really wants her. This time, when they dance, they both feel the heat. They manage to fall into bed quickly after that, Lizzie hoping to get Nic out of her system (that never works, Lizzie!), and Nic just wanting her.

The majority of the book is Nic and Lizzie at his beach house in the Florida Keys, spending a week eating, shopping, and having a lot of sex. They have a lot of sex. This book has a lot of sex, is what I’m saying. During this week, Lizzie assumes that she’s arm candy, so when Nic tells her to spend his money buying clothes, she does. When he tells her to sunbathe, she does. When he asks her to fix lunch, she tells him that she’s not allowed in a kitchen. Ha!

Nic is one of those silent, brooding types. He’s got abandonment issues from his childhood, and his father is still a jerk who wants Nic’s money, and his sister is a paranoid jealous interfering freak, kind of. He manages to tell Lizzie all of his secrets, though, which makes him happier. Lizzie doesn’t tell him that she’s secretly a math genius, though, which is dumb.

This book is the second in a series. The author notes at the beginning that it’s helpful to read the first book, because there are a lot of recurring characters. She even provides a list of characters in the back of the book. I read (and quite enjoyed) the first book (because: Stefan), but I didn’t remember everyone. I managed to catch up, though. You could read this book first, but you might be a little overwhelmed with people at times, and you would miss out on Stefan’s hot body and Jen’s baked goods, so I don’t know why you would do that.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like steamy sex, excellent scenery, smart girls, and sexy guys who dig smart girls.